Eurelco Information

EURELCO is an open, quadruple helix network that supports the required technological, legal, social, economic, environmental and organisational innovation with respect to Enhanced Landfill Mining within the context of a transition to a resource efficient, circular, low-carbon economy. EURELCO is a network that: - maps and shares information on the current level and future potential of Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) projects and programmes in the EU’s Member States; - further elaborates Enhanced Landfill Mining and integrates it with both traditional recycling/urban mining and other landfill mining concepts such as temporary storage places, bioreactors and sustainable landfilling; - keeps track and stimulates the innovation in science and technology for exploration, excavation, separation/recovery and transformation/upcycling in view of improved resource utilisation efficiency; - analyses national and EU Landfill and Waste/Materials Management legislation and develops policy guidelines for improved legislation frameworks (revised EU Waste Hierarchy) and economic incentives in line with the expected public benefits of ELFM; - develops and applies scientifically based methods for evaluating ELFM in terms of social, environmental and economic impacts, from a local and regional to global perspective; - develops and executes ELFM research, demonstration and coordination projects; - disseminates the technological and non-technological features of ELFM to a diversity of 
audiences. By 2020 Enhanced Landfill Mining is implemented EU wide as a key component of a resource efficient, circular and low carbon economy. The EU’s 150.000 to 500.000 landfills provide for a substantial part of the EU’s material, energy and land needs. ELFM has paved the way for breakthrough exploration, separation, transformation and upcycling technologies that are also used for recycling/urban mining of newly produced waste and residues.